Chapter 15
Vanessa asked to meet the girls eighteen months later.
Harper said no.
Willa said:
“Maybe.”
Maisie asked if food would be there.
That ended the conversation for me.
Not yet.
Another year passed.
Then Harper asked about her.
Not missing.
Curious.
“Why she wanted be Mommy?”
Good question.
I answered:
“Because she loved you and was afraid that loving Claire meant there wasn’t enough room for her.”
Harper frowned.
“That silly.”
“Yes.”
“Did she know silly?”
“Not then.”
Eventually all four agreed to a short meeting in a public garden.
Vanessa arrived with no gifts.
Good.
She did not ask them to call her anything.
Better.
Harper spoke first.
“You made bad bread.”
Vanessa cried.
“Yes.”
Willa:
“You say Mommy left.”
“Yes.”
Maisie:
“You lie.”
“Yes.”
June had one question.
“Why no party food?”
Adults build complex motivations.
Children remember the obvious.
Vanessa answered:
“Because I was trying to make you do what I wanted.”
June nodded.
“That mean.”
“Yes.”
No forgiveness ceremony.
Twenty minutes.
Then the girls wanted ice cream.
Meeting over.
May you like
Vanessa accepted.
That mattered.
